Improvement in car-couplings



C. DOBBS & S. L. ROBINSON.

CAR-COUPLING.

No. 191,122. Patented May 22,1877.

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IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [91,122, dated May 22,1877; application filed March 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES DOBBS and SAMUEL L. RoBINsoN, of Millwood, in the county of Collin and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (Jar-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in the arrangement and combination of devices, that will be more fully described hereinafter, whereby the cars automatically couple when they run together, and uncouple should one or more cars leave the track;

The accompanying drawings represent our invention.

a represents the draw-head, having formed on its front end the projection c, which is as wide as the head itself at its front end, but tapers backward, as shown, on both of its edges to the beveled edge or end d. The front of the headand projection are curved and rounded upward, so that when the coupling-links c strike they will rise up over their top until the hook on the link catches behind the beveled edge d, where itis securely held as long as the cars remain on the track. The rear ends of the coupling links or hooks e are pivoted between the two cars or flanges g on the rear end of the coupler, which parts g have v their inside corners beveled away to a considerable distance back, as shown, thus leaving the front ends of the links considerable lateral play. When desired to keep the links rigidly in position a bolt, 11, is stuck down into the head on each side, thereby limiting its side play.

It will be seen that all the material of the head between the rear narrow end of the projection c and the inside of the flanges g is cut away, leaving a perfectly-clear space between them for the links to unfasten themselves, or slip ofl sidewise, in case the car should jump or in any manner leave the track, and thus not drag the other cars with it.

By attaching small chains to the front of the links, the cars can be uncoupled from the platform or the top of the cars.

Having thus described our invention, We claim- In a car-coupling, the combination of the projection c on topof the front end of the head 61, flanges g, hooks e, and bolts 71, the head being cut away between the projection c and flanges 9, so that the links or hooks can slip ofi" sidewise, substantially as shown.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 8th day of March, 1877.

CHARLES DOBBS. SAMUEL L. ROBINSON.

Witnesses: G. W. PUOKETT, H. D. KILGROVE. 

